Chapter 69: Playing Hard to Get

Chapter 69: Chapter 69: Playing Hard to Get

"Mom, stop being so stubborn." Tuantuan wanted to put on an earnest and mature face, but she couldn’t hide her anxiety as her little mouth started blabbering away.

"Don’t be picky. I picked this out myself! It’s the cheapest white rice they had. I didn’t even buy the yellow stuff!" It wasn’t that she lacked experience or didn’t recognize unhusked rice. Tuantuan had simply poured all her blood, sweat, and tears into providing for this family.

The more she spoke, the prouder she became. Her little belly pushed out so far she looked as if she might launch the bag of rice she was holding right into the air. "This family relies entirely on me now! Mom, you aren’t allowed to criticize me."

Deng Yuyuan mused, letting the little one continue her speech.

She really wanted to let go of the bag, letting it crash to the ground just so the little brat could see the consequences of her impulsive actions. However, she agreed with a good temper, "Alright, I’ll cook this bag of rice for you tonight."

The little brat was in desperate need of a reality check. Aside from their appearance, the baby meals she cooked tasted miles better than plain white rice—a fact heavily verified by the educated youths who had eagerly taste-tested her cooking.

"I have to watch you pour it in!" Tuantuan announced at the top of her lungs, fully adopting the imposing aura of the head of the household.

Deng Yuyuan noted with amusement that the kid already knew how to be suspicious of her mother.

"Alright. Carry this little bag of rice to the kitchen first. Walk slowly, and don’t trip," Deng Yuyuan instructed. "Don’t nod! I know you’ll be a good girl and walk slowly."

Her quick warning successfully stopped a certain little girl from nodding, which would have inevitably sent both her and the heavy bag tumbling to the floor.

After watching Tuantuan head inside, Deng Yuyuan approached Zhang Ci Hao, who was holding back a smile. "How many food stamps did that bag of rice cost? I’ll reimburse you."

With Tuantuan’s meager savings, she couldn’t possibly have afforded that much. Zhang Ci Hao must have subsidized the purchase with a food stamp of his own.

Zhang Ci Hao’s eyes were filled with amusement. "It was just a one-catty food stamp. Consider it a gift for Tuantuan. It’s not easy for a two-year-old to carry something that weighs over three catties."

"Our baby is just naturally strong. OvO," the AI customer service chimed in.

They were standing too close. Zhang Ci Hao pursed his lips. They were so close that he could see the fine peach fuzz on Deng Yuyuan’s elegant, beautiful face. Her nearly flawless skin looked soft and delicate enough to break at the slightest breeze.

His previously confident demeanor immediately shrank into something more timid. In front of the woman, he appeared somewhat weak, and an uncontrollable blush crept up his scholarly cheeks. It was as if their roles had been reversed, making him look like a shy young maiden.

"Comrade Deng Yuyuan, m-may I give it to Tuantuan as a gift?" He cursed his stupid mouth for stuttering at a time like this.

"Of course you can." Deng Yuyuan took a few steps back to prevent Zhang Ci Hao from blushing so hard he might spontaneously combust.

"Do you think he’s cute?" the AI asked.

Deng Yuyuan rubbed her nose. Zhang Ci Hao had already fled in a panic.

It was really strange. The boy was always looking for opportunities to secretly bump into her, but when they actually stood face-to-face, he became hopelessly shy.

"How else is he supposed to play hard to get and make you fall madly in love with him?" the AI quipped.

Deng Yuyuan ignored the AI customer service, deciding to give it the cold shoulder. Relying on the fact that she had no way to file a complaint, the customer service constantly threw its weight around in her mind.

While making dinner, Deng Yuyuan deliberately took out Tuantuan’s bowl, poured in half a bowl of rice and water, and placed it on the steaming rack.

Tuantuan immediately grew anxious. "I eat a whole bowl every time! The rice I bought is enough for me to eat!"

Deng Yuyuan patiently explained, "Once they drink up all the water, each grain will become plump, white, and soft. They’ll squeeze together and fill the entire bowl."

"No, no, if there’s water, it makes porridge. I want rice." Tuantuan shook her head, trying to reach out and do it herself.

Deng Yuyuan scooped her up and moved her away from the stove. "It’s only porridge if there’s too much water. If it’s just the right amount, it’s rice. This is something only five-year-olds can learn. For now, you just need to remember it."

"I’m—I’m five years old right now!" Tuantuan said defensively, waving her chubby little hands wildly and patting her round belly.

"Then that just proves you don’t know how to count. I guess Tuantuan isn’t a smart kid who can count to ten after all," Deng Yuyuan calmly dismantled her argument and set her down.

"I am a smart kid!" Tuantuan covered her mouth, which had unconsciously formed a pout. Oh dear, no matter what she said, she just couldn’t seem to win.

Clenching her fists, she hopped in place a few times, still feeling utterly disgruntled. She snuck a peek at her mother. Deng Yuyuan was sitting on a low stool by the stove, chatting with the educated youth who was tending the fire.

Hesitating no longer, Tuantuan grabbed an old piece of clothing used as a kitchen rag, draped it over herself, and threw a rolling tantrum on the floor.

Her mother had always told her to be a proactive child. Even when venting her emotions, she had to remember to do chores.

By the time she finished throwing her fit, the floor would be sparkling clean!

The AI customer service had already turned into a screaming rubber chicken in Deng Yuyuan’s mind.

Deng Yuyuan, on the other hand, still had the leisure to calmly direct her daughter, telling her to roll over to a new spot once the current patch of floor was clean.

"There’s no rush. She can just take a bath before we eat."

She would wait until the dishes were done cooking to free up the pot for boiling bathwater. That meant the little brat would have to take a bath while everyone else was eating. Next time, she would know better than to roll on the floor right before dinner.

With that thought in mind, Deng Yuyuan secretly exchanged a few pieces of candied fruit from her farm game system. At level 20, she had unlocked fruit trees and a processing workshop. This allowed her to enjoy snacks without having to visit the supply and marketing cooperative. The prices were about the same, but the system’s treats were far more delicious.

It was fine for a child to miss a meal, but she couldn’t allow herself to go hungry along with her.

A few days later.

After holing up at home, Deng Yuyuan finally finished writing out her review notes just in time for her next meeting with the middleman. They were slightly different from the ones she had given to the educated youths, and the handwriting was different as well—written in a blocky, regular script that looked practically printed.

Deng Yuyuan opened her eyes. After she washed up by the faint morning light, Tuantuan came over carrying her steamed cornbread.

"Thank you, Tuantuan." Deng Yuyuan took it and ate quickly. Afterward, she led Tuantuan out to the yard where they practiced the Eight Pieces of Brocade for a while. After exchanging parting kisses, she headed out the door.

Gou Ya was also heading out to her great-uncle’s house. Little Tuantuan was reluctant to be left behind and fussed about going along. Figuring it wouldn’t hurt, Gou Ya decided to bring her.

Several new names for Gou Ya had already been brainstormed. Recently, the elderly Zhang Guolin had been agonizing over which one would be best for her.

At the trading point.

In addition to the usual food, tea, and candied fruit, she pulled out seven thick notebooks. "The college entrance examination will be reinstated this year. I have some connections and managed to get my hands on these notes. We can work together to sell them.

"You can flip through them. It’s all highly organized knowledge. I guarantee that not a single exam candidate will be able to resist the temptation to buy it. When selling, just pull out a few pages for them to preview. I believe this market is massive. This is the first year the exam is being reinstated, so a lot of people will need this. Plus, to reduce competition, very few of them will pool their money to share a copy. In the beginning, everyone will definitely keep it a secret and buy their own.

"We can absolutely make a fortune off this."

Deng Yuyuan crossed her arms, waiting for the young middleman to meticulously inspect the seven notebooks as he squatted beside Shi Tou.